We went to a Haunted House; actually a Haunted Factory. They did a great job and it worked its magic on us. I was spooked. George laughed.

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It’s funny when you get spooked, Mary-Lynn! I don’t know if you’ve ever held me that tight before!

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I love going through Haunted Houses. I just don’t like to be touched. George was my barrier. But I looked back one time and he wasn’t there. A devil had gotten between us! I thought I was going to have a heart attack.

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We were coming out of this room where they had about a half dozen people dressed up as devils. These guys were on stilts or something because they were all about 8’ tall. Besides that, they could go from one end of the room to the other in a flash. To top it all off, you had to duck underneath them to get out.

There are probably local ghoulish attractions in your area – many of which support great causes or are run by local hauntrepreneurs. You can have some bigg fun and support a local organization at the same time.

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As a radio DJ, I helped promote a number of Haunted Houses over the years. Some that involved you, George.

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Yeah, when I was a Jaycee, I helped with more Haunted Houses than I can count. I remember running out once to clear out our cash drawer. I opened the door and these young women screamed. The problem is I didn’t even have my mask on!

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It’s really fun to be a volunteer at a Haunted House. In addition, it’s amazing how much money many of them give to worthy organizations.

A frightening affect on your bottom line

This was play time for us, but we recommend integrating work and play. While we were there, we saw something that could help you scare up more profit.

Like many Haunted Houses, they often had long lines. People waited an hour or more to get in. So they set up two different prices.

You could pay the regular price – which in this case was $10 – and wait in the regular line. Or you could pay a premium – their price was $15 – and go right to the front of the line.

Now you might be thinking, “If I had waited an hour and someone got to go through before me, I would just scream!”

They did a great job with that. They set their lines up so the people in the regular line really wouldn’t know that other people were coming in before them. The express line was camouflaged with corn stalks – yes, we’re in the Midwest – so you really couldn’t see it from the regular line.

But even if they did, everyone had the same opportunity to purchase the higher priced ticket.

Service Level Pricing

Are there ways to give your customers the opportunity to choose their level of service?

Research shows that if you give your customers two choices, they will choose the least expensive option. But it’s get more interesting when you add one more level. If you give them three choices, people tend to choose the middle one.

The good – better – best scenario helps you upsell. Let’s be clear – this is not bait-and-switch. We’re talking about legitimate offerings that allow your customers to segment themselves.

Bigg Challenge Dorothy is preparing to retire. She was recently presented with an opportunity by a network marketing company. She says she is a people person, but not a sales person. It makes her nervous, asking people she knows to buy something. She would, however, like to supplement her pension and social security checks somehow. She wants to know if we could offer some suggestions.

Bigg AdviceWe followed up with Dorothy to find out what she really likes to do. She said there are a lot of things she likes to do, but most of them don’t pay. For example, she’s an animal lover, often volunteering at the local animal shelter.

Our first suggestion is to go with what you love – what you’ll do even without pay.

Before we get to that, though, let’s look at the sales opportunity you have. Do some market research by talking to five people you know. Tell them about the idea you’re considering and see what they say. You’re not selling them … you’re asking their opinion.

See how that goes before you invest any money upfront or commit to any ongoing fees. Then make a decision. Now let’s explore some other options.Pet sitting serviceWhy not start a business that fits your love of animals?

Many people think of their pets as part of the family. When they’re away, they want their pets to be well cared for at home. They need a trustworthy, pet-loving person to take care of their pets.

Start a pet sitting service to meet this need. It’s a simple little side business that’s in great demand. Print up some cards that promote your service. Contact veterinarians you know that don’t offer boarding to see if they would allow you to leave your cards on their counter or bulletin board.

It’s definitely a word-of-mouth business so you won’t have to spend a lot of money to get work.Related links

House sitting serviceHere’s a way to double down on the pet sitting idea. Make more money by combining your pet sitting service with a house sitting service. People who travel want to know someone they trust is watching their homes. You can market this service to the same people whose pets you care for. Errand serviceThere’s a growing demand for errand services (sometimes referred to as a concierge service). People just don’t have the time to get everything done. That’s where you come in – run their errands for them. You may drop off and pick up their dry cleaning, shop for gifts, and any number of other things.

Market your service at the same places where people are running errands. Once again, start-up costs are low and word-of-mouth is key.Related links

Bigg Challenge We received an e-mail from Joe who recently agreed to serve on a committee of a local non-profit organization. He’s discovered that it’s a bigger commitment than he thought. So he wants to know what he should do to get out of it.

Bigg AdviceYou obviously had good intentions, Joe. Sometimes our circumstances change – health issues, new responsibilities, extra care for loved ones, or any number of things. Since there’s no mention of that in your e-mail, we’ll assume that it’s not the case here.5 options to reduce your responsibility to this commitment

#1 – QuitThis is the most cut-and-dry way to do it. However, keep in mind that it may damage your reputation. That’s why we don’t think it’s a very good option.#2 – Fulfill your commitmentWe think your best option is to suck it up and honor your commitment. Then don’t recommit at the end of your term. You’ll deliver on your promise. Your reputation will remain intact. Learn from this experience so you don’t repeat it.

#3 – Find someone to replace youWe think this is your next best option. If you know someone who is interested in the organization, talk to them to see if you can recruit them to take your place. You’ll leave with your reputation intact because you didn’t leave the group hanging.

#4 – Find someone who can help youCan someone assist you? For example, perhaps they could make phone calls or send e-mails for you. Delegate some of the work so the commitment is more in line with what you thought.

#5 – Can you be reassigned?Talk to chair person of the committee. Maybe you can “trade duties” with someone else on the committee who is looking for more responsibility. If your circumstances have changed, the chair person will probably be happy to help.

We’ve been in this situation ourselves, Joe. The bottom line is that you should try to minimize the damage to yourself and the organization.

2 tips to keep this situation from repeating itself#1 – Don’t commit on the spotMany people are very flattered when they are recruited to serve. They often say “yes” on the spot, without really giving it much thought.

To keep this from happening again – commit to never committing on the spot!

The U.S. government has laws to protect consumers – you get 72 hours to reconsider a purchase. That’s a good rule when someone asks you to give your time …

Give it a day or three!

Thank them for considering you but tell them you’ll need to think about it for a few days. #2 – When you say “yes” to anything, you’re saying “no” to something.A lot of people don’t think about this. As you’re considering giving your time for a new cause, think about what you’ll have to give up because we all only have 24 hours in a day!